An internal report on the RCMP disciplinary process has revealed that there are naughty seeds within Canada’s national police force. The probe—the first of its kind for the Mounties—reveals that Mounties have been getting up to everything from masturbating in a cruiser to drunk driving and sexual assault. There were 56 cases of “formal” action taken to address violations of the Code of Conduct in the 2008-09 fiscal year, and another
231 cases where informal steps. Most sanctions were leveled against constables, but there were also some involving higher-ranking officers. The RCMP says that while only a fraction of officers committed these offences, all acts that potentially tarnish its reputation are taken seriously. Media relations officer Sgt. Pat Flood explained, “To be an effective police force, the RCMP must maintain the respect and trust of the public it serves. To do this, the conduct of its members must be beyond reproach.”